The Best Stories Always Start With
by Phantom Trekkie
Summary: Miral Paris is just 5 years old; old enough, Tom thinks, to know the story about the greatest journey her mother and father ever took. This is a fan fic with stories from Tom, Harry, and the rest of Voyager's senior staff, told to little Miral.
1. Chapter 1

"Daddy, aren't you going to tell me a story before I go to sleep?" Little Miral asked innocently. Tom Paris smiled down at his five-year-old daughter. To him, she was the second most beautiful thing in the galaxy; her mother was the first.

"Why don't you let your mother tell you a story? You know Daddy is no good at telling them." Tom said as he tucked the sheets around his daughter's neck.

"But Daddy! I want you to tell me a story! Please?"

_Tom_ sighed. Miral looked up at him with her large, brown eyes. _She has her mother's eyes!_ Tom noted.

"Alright, sweetie. What do you want me to tell you about?"

Little Miral scrunched her eye brows together, thinking long and hard before deciding.

"Daddy, Mommy told me that you two went on a very long vacation. Tell me about it, please?" Miral asked as she hugged her teddy bear tightly towards her ribs.

Tom didn't know if she was ready. Five years old was a very young age to tell a person that her father went across the galaxy and back in seven years. _I want her to remember what B'Elanna and I did, and I want her to be proud of it._

"Alright, I'll tell you. One day I was at this colony…" Tom started.

"Wait!" Miral interrupted. "You didn't say 'once upon a time'. The best stories always start with 'once upon a time'!"

Tom shrugged his shoulders. _Daughters_, he thought, _are the pickiest things. But I wouldn't change her for the world._

"Once upon a time…" Tom started, looking at his daughter for approval. She smiled, and waited for him to continue.

"Once upon a time, nearly 13 years ago, I was in New Zealand."

"What where you doing there, Daddy?" Miral asked innocently. Tom hesitated. She might be old enough to know about Voyager, and understand it, but she certainly wasn't old enough to learn her father had been a criminal.

"I was just visiting, darlin'. Let Daddy continue his story, alright?" Miral nodded, and wiggled a little in her bed.

"I was in New Zealand, just minding my own business, when a Starfleet Captain approached me. And you'd never guess who it was." Tom said, waiting for his daughter to answer.

"Rice Admiral Janeway!" Miral shouted with glee. Tom laughed at his little girl. When Miral was just two years old, she started to call 'Captain Janeway' 'Rice Admiral Janeway'. Even though she was old enough to pronounce it correctly, Miral –much to Janeway's delight- still called her 'Rice Admiral Janeway.

"That's right! Vice Admiral Janeway wanted me to go with her on her ship on a special mission. Of course, I agreed. A few days later, I found myself on a space station, getting ready to board Voyager. I went into this little place that was run by a Ferengi named Quark to get something to drink, and you'll never believe who I saw there!"

Miral squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of who her father might have met.

"Mommy?" She guessed.

Tom shook his head. "No, not Mommy. I'll give you a hint. You like him to play you lullabies on his clarinet." Tom smiled as he saw the recognition in his daughter's eyes.

"Uncle Harry!" She laughed.

"Right. Uncle Harry was in the same place! I helped him out a little bit, and then we boarded our ship, and began our journey. A few days into the trip, we ran across some bad weather." Tom said.

"Oh no!" Miral shreaked.

"That's what I thought, too! When the bad weather was over, we were in another part of the Galaxy! I was 75 years away from home, Miral!"

Miral's eyes widened. "Oh, Daddy! That's not good! Not good!"

"Of course it wasn't! But what could we do? We would have to fly all the way back to Earth; but first, we had to get what we were looking for."

"What was that?"

"There was a ship full of people who called themselves the Marquis. We were going to get them when we were taken to the Delta Quadrant. We found there ship there, too! So, Captain Janeway decided that we would have to team up with the Marquis, and form one big crew. And do you know who was on that ship" Tom asked. He loved giving his little girl a chance to do more than listen in a story.

"Who, Daddy, who?" Miral asked excitedly.

"Why, it was none other than Tuvok and Chakotay!" Tom laughed.

Miral spread a grin across her face. "Oh, goody! and Cap'n Chocolate!" She giggled.

Tom loved to see his daughter recognize his old friends. Even though Miral had never met Neelix in person, she knew that he called Tuvok 'Mr. Vulcan', and had liked calling him that rather than 'Mr. Tuvok'. As for 'Cap'n Chocolate', Tom had no clue where she got that. Although Chakotay was now a Captain in Starfleet, he still thought of him as 'Commander Chakotay'.

"Of course, Tuvok wasn't really a Marquis. He was just pretending to be one. Chakotay was a real Marquis, though. So, Tuvok was now part of the Voyager crew, and Chakotay was promoted to Commander! I was promoted to Lieutenant, and we all became one big, happy family on Voyager." Tom said. He pulled the sheets back around Miral's shoulders, and kissed her on the forehead.

"That's all for tonight, sweetie." He whispered.

"But Daddy! You didn't finish the story!" Miral cried.

Tom smiled. "Darling, it took seven years for that story to be written. I can't finish it all in one night. But, I'll tell you some more the night after tomorrow, alright?"

"Why not tomorrow night?" Miral asked quietly.

Tom sighed. "I have a meeting to go to tomorrow, and I won't be back until very late. You'll already be asleep when I get back!" Tom said as he gently tickled Miral's ribs. Miral giggled, and nodded her head, showing him that she understood.

"Goodnight, honey. Sleep tight." Tom said as he turned the lights out.

"Goodnight, Daddy. I love you." Came a small whisper.

Tom walked into his and B'Elanna's bedroom. B'Elanna was sleeping peacefully in the bed, her hair spread out on the pillows. Tom wondered how a guy like himself could be lucky enough to have a beautiful wife, and a beautiful little girl.

Trying not to wake B'Elanna up, Tom quietly changed into his pajamas, turned out the lights, and slipped into the bed.

B'Elanna felt the bed become warmer from Tom's body heat, and she rolled over to look at her husband.

"Hey, you were in Miral's room for a long time. Don't tell me she was crying for Harry again." B'Elanna said sleepily.

Tom smiled as he remembered the deep affection Miral had for Harry, or 'Uncle Harry'. Ever since she was a baby, Miral wanted Harry to hold her, Harry to play with her, Harry to play her lullabies. Even though she was five years old now, she still cried at night when Harry wasn't there.

"No, I was telling her the story of Voyager." Tom whispered.

"She's a little young, don't you think?" B'Elanna said.

"She's old enough to get the briefing of it. She doesn't have to know about the Borg war, or anything like that, sweetheart." Tom said as he planted a kiss on his wife's ridged forehead.

B'Elanna returned the gesture, and went back to sleep. Tom smiled, and thanked whatever deity was out there for his beautiful ladies.


	2. Chapter 2

B'Elanna was just finished returning the few dishes she and Miral had used back into the replicator. Even though she enjoyed being on Voyager, and having that close family surroundings, she thoroughly enjoyed not having to have replicator rations.

"Alright, Miral, I think it's time for you to get ready for bed." B'Elanna said.

Miral hurried off to put on her favorite pink silk pajamas on. When she returned, B'Elanna couldn't help but laugh. Miral had buttoned up her shirt all by herself, and the buttons weren't lined up correctly with the button holes. B'Elanna quickly fixed them, and then carried her daughter to bed.

"Do you have your teddy bear?" She asked.

"Yes, Mommy." Miral answered as she showed her mother her bear's little brown head from under the sheets.

"Alright then, it's time to go to bed." B'Elanna said as she sat on her daughter's small bed.

"Wait, Mommy! I need a story before I go to sleep. Daddy was telling me about the trip he went on. Can you tell me some more 'bout that?" Miral asked politely.

B'Elanna smiled. She wondered how Tom put things. Even though she loved her husband, she knew that he tended to change things around, and exaggerate.

"I don't want to ruin Daddy's story, sweetheart." B'Elanna replied.

"Oh, I see. Then tell me about Daddy!"

B'Elanna laughed. The poor child didn't know what she was getting in to!

"Well, I didn't like your father very much at first. He was different than I was." B'Elanna started. "And I was far away from home, so I was scared."

Miral's eyes opened wide. "Mommies can get scared? I didn't know that." She said.

"Yes, Mommies can get scared. Anyways, one day your father and I were on a mission, and we ended up being stuck, floating around in space together."

"Why would you want to do that?" Miral asked in all seriousness.

"We didn't _want_ to, dear, it was an accident. But it was a great accident, because that's when your father told me that he loved me." B'Elanna smiled at the fond memory of that day. Tom had been so comforting.

"But, Captain Janeway rescued us." B'Elanna said to calm the eagerness she felt rising from her daughter.

"That's good. Was Daddy funny?" Miral asked.

"Why are you asking that?" B'Elanna laughed.

"I was just wondering if Daddy was as funny then as he is now." Miral stated.

"Oh," B'Elanna said, "I see. Yes, your father was funny. He and your Uncle Harry did a lot of silly stuff together. They used to play in the holodeck all of the time. They were like two little boys!" B'Elanna smiled. "I remember one time when your father and Harry played a joke on Tuvok. Would you like to hear about that?" B'Elanna asked.

Miral nodded.

"One day, Tuvok wanted to get something to eat from his replicator. Well, your father and Harry decided to have a little fun, so they changed his replicator's voice. So, when Tuvok ordered something, the replicator would say 'live long and prosper'."

Miral giggled, and held her hand up to show the Vulcan peace sign she had seen Mr. Vulcan do so often.

B'Elanna held her hand up to Miral's, little fingers contrasting against big ones. Miral looked inquisitively at her mother's hands, and gently stroked the soft, smooth skin.

"Mommy," Miral said sweetly, "do you love Daddy?"

B'Elanna and Miral didn't hear the door to the house close. Tom was home early, and was eager to see his family. When he heard Miral ask that question, he quietly listened from the other room.

"Yes, dear, I love your father. I love him very, very much."

"Mommy, when I grow up, can I marry Daddy?" Miral asked her mother.

Tom smiled, sniffed, and let a few tears trickled down his cheeks.

"No dear, I'm afraid you can't marry your father." B'Elanna said.

"Why not, Mommy? I love him lots and lots!" Miral cried. B'Elanna hated to inform her daughter that she couldn't marry him, but she didn't want to give Tom up.

"Because, darling, I don't want to give your father up. I love him too much. Maybe, one day, you'll find someone you love very much too, and you can marry him."

Miral crossed her hands over her chest and stuck her bottom lip out.

"I don't want to marry anyone but Daddy." She said.

B'Elanna sighed. Tom would have loved to have been here for this.

"Miral, Tom is _my_ husband. Your father can't have two wives!"

Miral turned her cheek away from her mother's incoming kiss.

"Well, if I can't have Daddy, can I at least have Uncle Harry?" She asked hopefully. Not wanting to spoil her child's dreams of one day becoming Mrs. Kim, B'Elanna told her that she would have to ask Harry.

"Alright, now it's really time for bed. No more stories tonight." B'Elanna said as she gave her daughter a small hug before turning out the lights.

"Good night, Mommy!" Miral called as B'Elanna left the room.

"Good night, dear."

B'Elanna wasn't expecting Tom to pull her into his arms as soon as she left the room, so B'Elanna gave a small shriek.

"Ssshhhhh," Tom said, putting his forefinger to his lips, "you don't want to wake up the future Mrs. Kim." B'Elanna couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, this one is going to make Harry beam with pride!" B'Elanna said as Tom picked her up to carry her to their room.

"How much did you over-hear?" B'Elanna asked as she got into her own pajamas. She didn't mind if Tom had heard say those things to Miral, but she did want to know if he had heard or not.

"Oh, I walked in right as Miral asked you if you loved me." Tom said as he traced the ridges on her forehead gently.

B'Elanna blushed a little bit, but didn't say anything.

"I'm so lucky," Tom continued, "to have a daughter who wants to marry me. Although, I must admit I was rather dismayed when she said she would settle for Harry." This made B'Elanna giggle like a little girl. "I can't believe you said she would have to ask Harry!" Tom said playfully.

"What would you have told her?" B'Elanna asked.

Tom honestly didn't know. He didn't want to think about this, for his little girl was only give. It would be another ten years before she would even think about getting married!

"I would have told her that she couldn't have Harry, nor could she have me. She'd have to find her own."

Tom turned the lights off, and quickly fell into a peaceful sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

"Mmmmm that was good. Thanks, dear." Tom said as he picked up the table. They were eating a late dinner that night, because Tom had gotten home from work later than usual.

Miral trotted over to her mother, who was looking over a PADD for a new warp engine design.

"Mommy, what'cha doing?" she asked.

B'Elanna pushed her child's hand off of her shoulder. "Sweetie, Mommy's trying to work. Go play with your toys or something."

Miral obeyed her mother sadly, her shoulders slightly dropping towards the floor. It wasn't often that Tom and B'Elanna were too busy for their daughter, and Miral knew that, but she still didn't like it when they didn't want to play with her.

After playing with her dolls for a few minutes, Miral heard the door bell to their house ring.

"I'll get it! I'll get it!" Miral screamed as she races towards the door. She flung the door open, revealing a rather handsome Asian man with high, broad cheeks, black hair, and a broad chest wearing a yellow uniform.

"Uncle Harry!" Miral yelled as she jumped into his arms. Harry couldn't help but smile at Miral. He felt as if she was his daughter too. Perhaps it was because she was his best friend's daughter, or perhaps it was because he had no daughter –or wife- of his own.

"Hey there, Miral! How's my favorite little pumpkin?" Harry asked as he walked into the house. Tom met Harry at the door, but B'Elanna remained in her chair, just waving Harry in as she usually did.

"Hey, Harry! I didn't know you were coming, or I would have saved you some supper." Tom said as he gave his friend a brief pat on the back. Miral noted the rectangular case Harry was holding in his left hand, and clapped her hands in delight.

"Uncle Harry, are you going to play me a song?" She asked excitedly.

"Not right now, sweetheart. I was going to stay and talk for a while with your parents, and then play you a lullaby or two before you went to sleep. Is that alright?" He asked.

Miral nodded, slightly upset that she couldn't hear the music now. "Can I sit in your lap, Uncle Harry, while you talk to Daddy and Mommy? Please? I promise I won't wiggle." She begged.

Harry laughed. "You _always_ wiggle, and you're starting to get really heavy!" Harry stated as he poked Miral's small belly. "But, I guess if you really want to…sure, you can sit in my lap."

Now it was B'Elanna's turn to laugh. "You never could deny her anything, Harry. You're spoiling her!"

Harry just smiled as he sat himself down in a large chair, and lifted Miral up to his lap. He gently put his clarinet and its case onto the floor, and straightened took his uniform jacket off.

"So Harry, what brings you here?" Tom asked as he seated himself on the couch.

"Yeah, Uncle Harry, why are you here?" Miral echoed.

Tom could see by Harry's expression that something was wrong. Just as he suspected, Harry was trying to hold back tears, so Miral wouldn't see them.

"Miral, honey, why don't you go to your room, and think of what you want me to play to you tonight?" Harry asked, trying to get her to go away long enough for him to be sad.

Miral shook her head. "I want to stay here." She said. Harry couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Even though he wasn't officially crying, tears were running down his cheeks, and dripping onto Miral's little dress. Miral, who was somewhat shocked at seeing her Uncle Harry cry, looked down sadly at the small wet spot on her dress.

She then looked up at Harry. "Uncle Harry, don't cry. Please, don't cry." She said softly as she followed the tear's tracks with her fingers. She loved to stroke Harry's wide cheeks, but it felt different when he was crying, she thought.

Harry sniffed, and took Miral's hand. "What's wrong, Harry?" B'Elanna asked. By now, she had put the PADD down and had walked over to the chair where Harry and Miral were sitting.

"My mother...she's sick. Joe doesn't know what's wrong with her, and he says it's only a matter of weeks before she…she…" Harry broke into sobs. B'Elanna sent Miral away to her room, and then sat on the edge of the chair.

"Harry…Harry…I'm so…so sorry…" B'Elanna whispered as she stroked his hair. Tom ran his fingers through his own hair. Harry's father had died shortly after Voyager returned from the Delta Quadrant, and his mother was all Harry had to hold on to. Even though he served excellently on Voyager for seven years, and everyone on that ship had been promoted a great deal, Harry only received the rank of Lieutenant. Ever since then, Harry hadn't cared much about his career, and had taken a job at Starfleet Acadamy as a part time teacher. If his mother died, Tom knew, Harry would be all alone in the world, with no place to stay!

"Harry, I'm so sorry. I'm sure Joe knows what he's doing." Tom said comfortingly. Harry sniffed and looked at his best friend through his tears. Joe –or the EMH, as everyone from Voyager knew him- was an excellent doctor, he knew, and wouldn't make a diagnosis without being positively sure of himself. If there was nothing the Doctor couldn't do for her, then nothing could simply be done.

"I knew it would come, but I just…wasn't ready for it." Harry said as he dried his tears with his sleeve. He looked disgustingly at the blob of snot he had gotten on his sleeve, and looked around for a tissue. B'Elanna handed him one, looking at him sympathetically.

"I just thought I would stop by, and see how you guys were doing." Harry said as he wiped away the last of the runny nose and tears from his face.

"You know you're welcome any time, Harry." B'Elanna said as she threw the tissue away.

Harry smiled. "Thanks, B'Elanna. I knew I was. Do you mind if I stay the night here? I'll be going back to the hospital tomorrow morning." Harry asked.

"Of course, buddy. There's no need to ask." Tom said assuredly. Harry couldn't believe his luck. He had the two best friends a guy could get, and a little girl who loved his music.

"Well," Harry said as he stood from his chair, "I promised Miral I would play her a song or two on the clarinet before she went to bed. I guess it's getting close to her bed time."

Harry picked up his clarinet, and walked into Miral's room. Miral was sitting on her bed, drawing a picture. Harry set his clarinet on the small nightstand, and sat beside her.

"What are you drawing?" He asked as he looked over her shoulder to see her picture.

Miral up from her drawing, and focused her large, brown eyes on Harry. Harry could definitely tell now that she had B'Elanna's eyes.

"Can't you tell, Uncle Harry? It's you!" She said. Harry looked at the picture once more. To him, it looked like a yellow and black tornado with a head. On top of the head sat a large amount of black, silky hair, gelled up. _At least she got the hair right_, Harry thought.

"Oh, now that you mention it, it does kind of look like me." Harry said as he shifted his position on the bed.

Miral put her crayons back into the box, and set them on the floor beside her bed. "You can have it, Unlce Harry. You can give it to your Mommy. Maybe it will make her feel better. Just make sure you tell her it's from Miral." She said as she handed him the paper.

Even though it was the ugliest portrait of himself he'd ever seen, Harry was proud that Miral had taken the time to attempt to draw him, and accepted the paper thankfully.

"Did you decide on what you want me to play you?" Harry asked as he set the paper gently next to his clarinet case.

Miral nodded her head. "I don't want you to play me a song tonight, Uncle Harry. I just want you to sit with me until I fall asleep." Harry couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, why don't you go get in your pajamas, and I'll go say goodnight to your parents. Then I'll come and sit with you, alright?"

Miral agreed, and Harry went to go tell B'Elanna and Tom goodnight.

"Goodnight Tom! Goodnight B'Elanna!" Harry yelled through their bedroom door. The door almost immediately opened, and Tom stepped out in his pajamas.

"Harry, hold it down a little! B'Elanna's trying to sleep!" Tom whispered.

"Oh, sorry. I just wanted to say goodnight." Harry replied.

"Goodnight, Harry. See you in the morning." Tom said.

Harry made his way back to Miral's room, and there found Miral sitting on the edge of her bed, waiting for him.

"I'm all ready for bed, Uncle Harry!" She said sleepily. "Won't you come sit by me, now?"

Harry lifted her into the bed, and tucked the covers around her. "Alright, Miral. I'm here now, so you can go to sleep. Computer, lights out." The lights immediately went out, and the room turned pitch black.

"Uncle Harry, it's too dark." Miral whimpered.

"Ssshhhh, it's alright. I'm right here, remember?" Harry said gently while stroking her hair.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Miral said, half giggling.

A few minutes went by, and just as Harry was beginning to think Miral had fallen asleep, she spoke again.

"Uncle Harry, it's cold. Aren't you cold?" She asked innocently.

Harry hadn't realized the cold temperature of the room, and realized that he was indeed chilly.

"Can you wait here while I go get my jacket?" He asked.

Miral sat straight up in the bed. "NO!" she said loudly, "Don't leave me here. You can have some of my blanket. Here." Miral lifted her sheets and blankets up, and scooted over to give Harry some room to lay down.

Harry was hesitant for a few seconds, not sure if he should crawl in bed with Miral or not, but a shiver down his spine told him to go ahead.

Harry pulled the covers gently over himself and Miral, and propped his head on the backboard. Miral quickly maneuvered herself and her teddy bear close to Harry's side, and soon Harry felt Miral's breathing even out, signaling she was asleep.

It was midnight, and Tom had just finished reading the last chapter of his book. As usual, he checked to make sure B'Elanna was sleeping comfortably, and pulled the blankets back over her. He then gently pulled himself out of their warm bed, and tiptoed to Miral's door.

Just before he opened the door, Tom heard Miral snoring. _That's odd_. He thought. _I didn't know five year olds could snore!_ When he opened the door, he smiled at the sight before him.

Harry had fallen asleep beside Miral, who was snuggled up tightly against his side. It wasn't Miral who was snoring; it was Harry! Tom checked to make sure they were both covered up, and then returned to his room. When Harry said he would be spending the night, he hadn't known he would sleep with his little girl!


End file.
